U.S. patent number 7,946,868 [Application Number 12/621,630] was granted by the patent office on 2011-05-24 for power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Leader Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Kuan-Chih Chen.
United States Patent |
7,946,868 |
Chen |
May 24, 2011 |
Power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug
Abstract
A power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug has a
body having an annular chamber, two conducting elements inside the
annular chamber, four channels recessed on a top thereof to
communicate with the annular chamber, and an engagement slot
abutting each of the four channels; and a hollow plug having two
intermediate conducting elements, a cylinder protruding beyond a
bottom of the plug and received in the annular chamber, four arced
holes communicating with an inner portion of the plug, four
engagement blocks protruding from a cylindrical periphery to
respectively correspond to the four channels and four engagement
slots, and at least two prongs mounted on a top thereof, one end of
each of the two prongs penetrating through the plug to electrically
connect with corresponding intermediate conducting elements. Given
the aforementioned structure, the plug can be replaced and
selectively oriented with respect to the body.
Inventors: |
Chen; Kuan-Chih (Hsin-Tien,
TW) |
Assignee: |
Leader Electronics Inc.
(Hsin-Tien, Taipei Hsien, TW)
|
Family
ID: |
48917756 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/621,630 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/173;
439/518 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
24/28 (20130101); H01R 35/04 (20130101); H01R
13/6675 (20130101); H01R 31/06 (20130101); H01R
13/625 (20130101); H01R 2103/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
29/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;439/11,13,22,131,172,173,518 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Chung Trans; Xuong M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kamrath; Alan Kamrath &
Associates PA
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug,
comprising: a body having an annular chamber recessed from a top
thereof; four channels recessed from the top to communicate with
the annular chamber, and located on an inner wall of the annular
chamber; four engagement slots formed into a bottom portion of the
inner wall of the annular chamber to respectively abut the four
channels; and two conducting elements mounted inside the annular
chamber; and a plug formed hollow and having a base; a cap mounted
on the base; two intermediate conducting elements mounted therein;
a cylinder protruding beyond the base and received in the annular
chamber; four arced holes formed through a bottom of the cylinder
and the base, two opposite arced holes thereof selectively
receiving the two conducting elements respectively contacted with
the two intermediate conducting elements; four engagement blocks
protruding from a cylindrical periphery of the cylinder to
respectively correspond to the four channels and four engagement
slots; and two prongs mounted through the cap, one end of each of
the two prongs penetrating through the cap to electrically connect
with the corresponding intermediate conducting element.
2. The power adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base
comprises: an upper chamber protruding from a top thereof; a lower
chamber formed inside the cylinder to communicate with the upper
chamber; and two contact pieces respectively extended from the two
intermediate conducting elements, each of the contact pieces
located in the lower chamber and above one end of the corresponding
arced hole; the cap is covered on the base to enclose the top
chamber; the arced holes are formed through a bottom of the lower
chamber; and the intermediate conducting elements are mounted on a
bottom of the upper chamber.
3. The power adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein four stoppers
are mounted on the bottom of the lower chamber of the base, each of
the stoppers abuts one end of the corresponding arced hole and the
corresponding contact piece.
4. The power adapter as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the
intermediate conducting elements inside the base has a lug having a
lower connection hole thereon, one end of each of the prongs
electrically connected with the corresponding intermediate
conducting element and facing the upper chamber has an upper
connection hole, and a conducting material penetrates through the
upper connection hole and the lower connection hole to electrically
connect therewith.
5. The power adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base
comprises: an upper chamber protruding from a top thereof; a lower
chamber formed inside the cylinder to communicate with the upper
chamber; and two contact pieces respectively extended from the two
intermediate conducting elements, and located in the lower chamber
to respectively cover two adjacent arced holes; the cap is covered
on the base to enclose the top chamber; the arced holes are formed
through a bottom of the lower chamber; and the intermediate
conducting elements are mounted on a bottom of the upper
chamber.
6. The power adapter as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one
resilient portion is formed between each of the intermediate
conducting elements inside the base and the corresponding contact
piece.
7. The power adapter as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the
intermediate conducting elements inside the base has a lug having a
lower connection hole thereon, one end of each of the prongs
electrically connected with the corresponding intermediate
conducting element and facing the upper chamber has an upper
connection hole, and a conducting material penetrates through the
upper connection hole and the lower connection hole to electrically
connect therewith.
8. The power adapter as claimed in claim 7, wherein a partition
protrudes beyond the bottom of the lower chamber of the base and
located between the two contact pieces.
9. The power adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
10. The power adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
11. The power adapter as claimed in claim 3, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
12. The power adapter as claimed in claim 4, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
13. The power adapter as claimed in claim 5, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
14. The power adapter as claimed in claim 6, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
15. The power adapter as claimed in claim 7, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
16. The power adapter as claimed in claim 8, wherein a release
button is formed on the body, a free end of the release button is
located inside the annular chamber, a snap block protrudes from the
free end, four recesses are recessed from a cylindrical periphery
of the cylinder, communicate with the bottom of the cylinder, and
each of the recesses is selectively engaged with the snap block on
the free end of the release button.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a power adapter, and more
particularly to a power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable
plug.
2. Description of the Related Art
A power adapter is an essential item of electric appliances used to
provide electric power. The power adapter has a body having a
transformer therein and a plug fixedly mounted thereon. Plugs and
sockets may vary in terms of specification and type, and the
specification also varies country by country. As a result, plugs
fixedly mounted on the body of conventional power adapters can not
be plugged in mismatching sockets. Further, as the body in which
the transformer is mounted is relatively bulky, it may obstruct
other plugs from being plugged into other sockets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is to provide a power adapter
having a replaceable and rotatable plug.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the power adapter having a
replaceable and rotatable plug has a body and a plug.
The body has an annular chamber, four channels, four engagement
slots and two conducting elements.
The annular chamber is recessed from a top of the body. The four
channels are recessed from the top to communicate with the annular
chamber, and located on an inner wall of the annular chamber. The
four engagement slots are formed into a bottom portion of the inner
wall of the annular chamber to respectively abut the four channels.
The two conducting elements are mounted inside the annular
chamber.
The plug is hollow and has a base, a cap, two intermediate
conducting elements, a cylinder, four arced holes, four engagement
blocks, and two prongs. The cap is mounted on the base. The two
intermediate conducting elements are mounted in the plug. The
cylinder protrudes beyond the base and received in the annular
chamber. The four arced holes are formed through a bottom of the
cylinder and the base. Two opposite arced holes thereof selectively
receive the two conducting elements respectively contacted with the
two intermediate conducting elements. The four engagement blocks
protrude from a cylindrical periphery of the cylinder to
respectively correspond to the four channels and four engagement
slots. The two prongs are mounted through the cap. One end of each
of the two prongs penetrates through the cap to electrically
connect with the corresponding intermediate conducting element.
Given the aforementioned structure, the plug can be replaced and
selectively oriented with respect to the body without preventing
other plugs from being plugged in the same socket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a
power adapter in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base of the plug of the first
preferred embodiment of the power adapter in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 4 is a top view in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another plug of the present
invention;
FIG. 6 is a top view of the base of the plug combined with the body
of the first preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 7 is another top view of the base of the plug combined with
the body of the first preferred embodiment in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the plug combined with
the body of the first preferred embodiment in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 9 is a partial exploded view of a lower cover of a second
preferred embodiment of a power adapter in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lower cover
combined with a body of the second preferred embodiment in
accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 11A is a top view of the present invention; and
FIG. 11B is another top view of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a power adapter having a
replaceable and rotatable plug has a body (10) and a plug (P).
The body (10) is hollow and has electronic components (not shown)
mounted therein. A mounting seat (101) upwardly protrudes from a
top surface of the body (10). A top of the mounting seat (101) is
recessed to form an annular chamber (11). Four channels (12) are
formed on an inner wall of the mounting seat (101) to communicate
with the annular chamber (11). Four engagement slots (13) are
respectively formed on bottom portions of the inner wall and
respectively abut the four channels (12). Two conducting elements
(14) are mounted inside the annular chamber (11) to electrically
connect with the electronic components inside the body (10). A
resilient button (15) is formed through the body (10) and the
mounting seat (101) and is separated from the body (10). A free end
of the resilient button (15) is located in the annular chamber (11)
of the mounting seat (101). A snap block (151) is formed on the
free end, and a top surface of the snap block (151) is higher than
a bottom of the annular chamber (11).
The plug (P) has a base (20) and a cap (30). With reference to
FIGS. 3 and 4, the base (20) is recessed to form an upper chamber
(201). A cylinder (21) downwardly projects from a bottom surface of
the base (20) and is received in the annular chamber (11) when the
base (20) is engaged with the mounting seat (101). The cylinder
(21) has a lower chamber (211), four arced holes (212), four
stoppers (2111), four engagement blocks (213), and four recesses
(214). The lower chamber (211) communicates with the upper chamber
(201). The four arced holes (212) are formed through a bottom of
the lower chamber (211) and the cylinder (21), and the two
conducting elements (14) of the body (10) are received in two
opposite arced holes (212) when the base (20) is engaged with the
mounting seat (101). The four stoppers (2111) upwardly extend from
the bottom of the lower chamber (211) and each stopper (2111) abuts
the corresponding arced hole (212). The stoppers (2111) also
respectively abut the contact pieces (222) to stop the contact
pieces (222). Two intermediate conducting elements (22) are mounted
on a bottom of the upper chamber (201). Each intermediate
conducting element (22) has a lug (221) and two contact pieces
(222). The lug (221) has a lower connection hole (2211) formed
through the lug (221). Each contact piece (222) is located inside
the lower chamber (211) and above a corresponding arced hole (212),
and abuts a corresponding stopper (2111). The four engagement
blocks (213) protrude from a cylindrical periphery of the cylinder
(21), and the four recesses (214) are recessed from a bottom of the
cylinder (21) and respectively abut the engagement blocks (213).
The four engagement blocks (213) respectively correspond to the
channels (12) on the body (10) and the engagement slots (13). Each
of the recesses (214) is selectively engaged with the snap block
(151) on the free end of the release button (15) by pressing the
release button (15) first and turning the base (20) until the snap
block (151) is received in one of the recesses (214).
The cap (30) is covered on the base (20) to enclose the upper
chamber (201) of the base (20). At least two prongs (31) are
mounted through the cap (30). One end of each of the prongs (31)
penetrating through the upper chamber (201) has an upper connection
hole (311). Each prong (31) is electrically connected with a
corresponding intermediate conducting element (22) by using a
conducting material (not shown), such as metal wire, to penetrate
through the upper connection hole (311) of the prong (31) and the
lower connection hole (2211) of the corresponding intermediate
conducting element (22). With reference to FIG. 5, a cap (30A)
having three prongs (31A) of another embodiment is shown.
With reference to FIG. 6, when the power adapter of the present
invention is ready to be used, each of the engagement blocks (213)
on the cylinder (21) of the base (20) of the plug (P) is slid in
the corresponding channel (12) so that the cylinder (21) is
received in the annular chamber (11). The two conducting elements
(14) are respectively inserted in two opposite arced holes (212) on
the cylinder (21) of the plug (P). With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8,
when positioned at a desired orientation, the engagement blocks
(213) of the plug (P) are inserted into respective channels and
rotated until the engagement blocks (213) are respectively moved
from the channels (12) into the engagement slots (13), and the snap
block (151) on the free end of the release button (15) is engaged
with one of the recesses (214) on the cylinder (21). Meanwhile, the
plug is fixed and the prongs thereof are positioned at a new
position relative to the body (10). Moreover, each of the
conducting elements (14) is urged against the contact piece (222)
at one end of the corresponding arced hole (212) to complete the
mounting of the plug (P). Each of the prongs (31) is electrically
connected with the corresponding conducting element (14) through
the corresponding intermediate conducting element (22), so as to
prevent excessive bending. If the plug (P) needs to be removed, the
release button (15) is pressed first. The snap block (151) is
disengaged with the recess (214), the engagement blocks (213) are
respectively moved from the engagement slots (13) into the channels
(12) and then the plug (P) is removed from the mounting seat
(101).
With reference to FIG. 9, a lower cover of a second embodiment of a
power adapter of the present invention has two intermediate
conducting elements (22A) and a partition (2112). Each of the two
intermediate conducting elements (22A) mounted inside the base (20)
of the plug (P) has a contact piece (222A) extended therefrom. Each
of the two contact pieces (222A) covers two adjacent arced holes
(212). At least one resilient portion (223A) is formed between the
contact piece (222A) and the intermediate conducting element (22A)
and takes a U-shaped form, so that the contact pieces (222A) are
able to move up and down. The partition (2112) protrudes beyond the
bottom of the lower chamber (211), and is located between two
contact pieces (222A) to prevent the two contact pieces (222A) from
contacting each other. With reference to FIG. 10, when the plug (P)
is mounted on the body (10), an end of each of the two conducting
elements (14) is urged against the corresponding contact piece
(222A) so that the prongs (31), the intermediate conducting
elements (22A) and the conducting elements (14) are electrically
connected.
As the plug (P) of the present invention is separately produced as
a part, a replacement plug (P.sub.1) can collaborate with an
existing socket. Besides, with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B, when
the plug (P) is mounted, the engagement blocks (213) respectively
slide in the channels (12) so as to switch to positions of the
mounted prongs (31) with respect to the body (10). Therefore, when
the power adapter of the present invention is plugged into a
socket, the body (10) can be positioned to allow other plugs (P) to
be plugged into adjacent sockets.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present
invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and function of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made
in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of
parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent
indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the
appended claims are expressed.
* * * * *